New Zealand trainer Allan Sharrock is eyeing the Melbourne Cup with star Kiwi mare Shez Sinsational who has claimed a heart-stopping victory in the Group Two Hollindale Stakes at the Gold Coast.
Shez Sinsational ($5) held on for a nose win in Saturday’s 1800m feature over the Peter Moody-trained Lights Of Heaven ($9.50) with German import Mawingo ($5) a further 3-1/4 lengths away third.
Sharrock conceded he was unsure if Shez sinsational had prevailed in the photo.
“I was in the betting ring and one bloke said to me I had won and the other said a few other words,” Sharrock said.
“I personally thought she had got crushed right on the line.”
The four-year-old’s win was a triumph for jockey Opie Bosson who only arrived on the morning of the race from Singapore.
Sharrock brought Shez Sinsational to Queensland for three weight-for-age races and has decided against starting in the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 9.
“She’ll run next in the Doomben Cup then the O’Shea Stakes (Eagle Farm Cup) but she won’t stay on for the Brisbane Cup,” he said.
“She’d get too much weight in a handicap like the Brisbane Cup but I haven’t ruled out the Melbourne Cup for her.”
Sharrock admitted he was a little concerned Bosson may have taken off too soon on the daughter of Ekraar.
“The last thing I said to Opie was don’t go too soon,” Sharrock said.
“He went too soon on her one day in New Zealand but we decided today to ride her more forward as there was no point getting too far back on the heavy track.”
It was Bosson’s fifth win on the four-year-old in 11 starts.
He also was aboard when Shez Sinsational crossed the Tasman last winter to finish third to Scarlett Lady in the Queensland Oaks and second to Shootoff in the Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm.
Since then Shez Sinsational has won three times at Group One level, taking out the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in February and the Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie in March.
Jockey Luke Nolen felt Lights Of Heaven, who failed in the Queen Of The Turf at her previous start at Rosehill, was in a winning position on the home turn.
“I was coming late but her run ended about 50 metres from the line and I didn’t think she had got there,” Nolen said.
Trainer Anthony Freedman believed Mawingo wasn’t suited on the heavy track.
“He was off his game out there. Maybe Brisbane can get some fine weather sometime soon,” he said.
“He’ll run in the Doomben Cup next start and we’ll see after that if he stays on.”
